Playing golf often requires the player having to continuously retrieve golf balls. Often players using golf carts require the player to get out of the cart and then bend and stoop over to retrieve the golf ball. The problem is compounded when the golf balls are lost in sand traps, water traps such as ponds, woods, weeds, vegetation and the like. In these situations, the golfer has to then put their hands into areas where it may not be safe to do so.
Devices have been proposed to help retrieve golf balls by players. See U.S. Pat. Nos.: Des.187,600 to Feiker; Des.205,526 to Lehman; Des. 283,432 to Rosenow; Des. 362,038 to Schatz; Des.349,739 to Kahl, Jr.; Des.360,918 to Carlson; 2,814,520 to Ruhland; 4,730,859 to Gabinet; 5,110,168 to Petrillo; 5,188,409 to Forey; 5,423,584 to Pasternak; 5,437,487 to Fulop; and 5,464,262 to Madrazo.
However, many of these devices require the user to apply pressure over the golf ball itself in order to trap the ball within a cage structure. Clearly, one cannot retrieve golf balls from ponds or the like having soft bottoms and sediment. Many of these basket and rake devices are large and cumbersome contraptions that are both difficult to maneuver as well as heavy to use. Still furthermore, many of the prior art devices are either or both complex and expensive to manufacture. Also many of these devices require the user balance the ball within the retriever itself causing problems of having the ball fall out of the retriever. Still furthermore, many of the prior art devices are difficult to carry around and are not easily adaptable to be used with golf bags and the like. And still furthermore, many of these devices cannot be used to retrieve more than one golf ball at a time.
Thus, the need exists for a golf ball retriever that avoids the problems in the prior art